19891997

1989–1997 refers to a historical span characterized by dramatic political upheaval, rapid technological change, and pronounced economic realignment. It begins with the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and ends in the late 1990s with the maturation of the internet economy and the consolidation of globalization.

Politically, this period includes the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, German reunification in 1990, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It features the Gulf War of 1990–1991, the Yugoslav Wars, and key European milestones such as the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 and the Dayton Agreement in 1995. The handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China occurred in 1997, marking a significant shift in regional geopolitics and sovereignty arrangements.

Economically and technologically, the World Wide Web became publicly available in 1991, followed by the Mosaic browser in 1993, Netscape Navigator in 1994, and Windows 95 in 1995, signaling the rapid consumerization of the internet and the dawn of the commercial web. The period also witnessed financial volatility, including Black Wednesday in 1992, the Mexican peso crisis of 1994–1995, and the onset of the Asian financial crisis in 1997, highlighting the growing integration of global markets.

Culturally, the era saw shifts in music, film, and media, driven by digital technologies and expanding global connectivity, setting the stage for the digital economy and the globalization of culture in the following decade.